This invention relates to an improved adjustable self-aligning locator and, more particularly, the invention is concerned with providing a self-aligning locator which will index to any machined angle or formed surface on a chord assembly while at the same time being suitable for use in clamping a workpiece to a machine bed or tee slotted table hereafter referred to as a machine bed.
Heretofore, it has been the practice in connection with the assembly of flanged parts to construct a fixture for the purpose of providing the necessary means for maintaining the parts in position preparatory to fastening them together. Also, similar fixtures have been used in the past to hold flanged elements to a machine bed during a machining operation, such as a milling fixture, and to prevent the flanged element from springing out of shape when the cutter exerts a force thereon.
Fixtures which are constructed in this manner for a specific machining operation on a particular flanged element can be very costly and wasteful. Much time and labor are involved in designing and building each fixture and, since it has very limited usefulness, the cost of the fixture must be added to the cost of the finished product.
The hereinafter described invention concerns a tooling concept that allows the same tooling to be used for various shaped parts. This eliminates the need for separate tooling for every part design. The savings thus gained from reduced tooling requirements is especially significant in prototype development such as aircraft design, where tooling is amortized over only one or two specially built units.